


Interlude

by orphan_account



Series: Cheeseburger (backpack) and Fries [3]
Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Connie's POV, Dialogue Heavy, Gen, M/M, but it's in Third Person bc i hate first person
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-10
Updated: 2018-09-10
Packaged: 2019-07-10 17:30:32
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,451
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15954134
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Steven and Connie catch up at The Big Donut.





	Interlude

**Author's Note:**

> I just wanted to clarify something in regards to this series: it takes place after the canon events of the show, and Steven, Peedee, and Connie are all probably like 15/16. Probably should have mentioned that in the first one but oh well.

Steven is happy. That’s not news to anyone. Steven is a generally happy person. It was something that Connie loved about him, and on darker days, was horribly jealous of. If she were more poetically minded, she might compare Steven to the sun in all it’s blinding brilliance. (It made sense, she reasoned, the sun was a star, after all.)

His happiness was infectious, and he was happy to spread the cheer to anyone in his path. He’d been eager to greet everyone they’d encountered on the way through town, and now bounced around the Big Donut, from drinks to napkins to the backroom he’s not technically allowed in and back to the customer appropriate side, all the while laughing and joking. Connie watched, laughing along but grateful when he finally settled into a seat across from her at one of the tables. 

“You’re in a good mood.” she commented, smiling at him as he bit into a donut. It was maybe a bit of an understatement, but Steven agreed.

“Yeah, things have been good. How are you doing?” he waited until he was mostly done chewing to reply, at least. 

“I’ve been so busy with school. I feel like this is the first time I’ve seen you in forever.” she knew, logically, as she said it that it didn’t make sense. They saw each other almost everyday, what with going on missions and training still being a regular enough occurrence. But when was the last time it was just the two of them? 

“I know! I haven’t even gotten to tell you about how Vidalia’s art show went. That was a week ago!” he exclaimed.

Connie hummed. “How did it go?” 

“It was so cool! I wish you could have been there. I’ve missed you so much.” Steven whined the last part, and Connie felt her heart twinge with guilt. 

“I missed you, too, Steven.” He seemed glad to know he wasn’t alone in his loneliness, so she moved on. “What have you been up to lately?”

Steven drummed his fingers against the table as he thought. “Well, I told you about the art show. I also caught up on Crying Breakfast Friends, finally.” he laughed lightly at that as he went on. “And the past few days I’ve been hanging out with Peedee. He says ‘hi’ by the way!”

“Is he coming to your birthday party?” Connie asked carefully. Normally she was the only non-gem or relative, and she got along well with Peedee. They talked at school when they saw each other and she had no problem with him tagging along when her and Steven hang out. 

Steven shrugged. “I haven’t asked him yet. I want him to come, though.”

It was the most Steven had said about his birthday in a while, anyhow. She couldn’t figure out why he seemed so anxious about the approaching date. If she had to guess, she figured it had something to do with why he’d stubbornly changed the subject when she’d suggested stopping at the carwash.

Steven wasn’t really taking his dad’s new girlfriend well. To her face he’d been completely civil and only obviously a shadow of his usual genial self to the ones who knew what to look for. He was too nice a person to be mean to someone who he didn’t even know. He just wasn’t as subtle about his distaste for her when she, and consequently, Greg, weren’t around. He’d said he couldn’t help it, that he knew it was irrational and unfair and he felt horrible that he didn’t like her but he just couldn’t stand to be in the same room with her. 

Connie figured it was a matter of days before someone shoved Steven in a room with Greg and the woman and made them work it out, possibly with some singing and crying. 

Possibly sensing the direction Connie was taking the conversation, Steven changed topics. “You’re not eating?”

She’d hardly touched her donut, content to swirl her hot chocolate and interrogate her best friend for anything new she missed in her absence. “I’ll get to it. Unless you want it? I’m not really hungry.”

“We could split it!” he volunteered, suddenly wielding a plastic knife. Connie giggled and motioned for him to go on with his plan. As he cut into the donut, tongue slightly sticking out as he concentrated, Connie sipped her drink. Satisfied with his work, he handed Connie her half. 

Connie was about to suggest they go back to the temple, but the buzzing of Steven’s phone stopped her. 

He checked it eagerly, cheeks slightly flush as he read the message on screen. 

Steven was blushing? Connie felt amusement bubble up inside her. Was he texting Amethyst? 

“Sorry, Peedee texted me. We can go if you’re ready to leave, though.” Steven said, tucking his phone back in his pocket. 

“Oh, what did he say?” Maybe she was being a little nosy, but she was curious!

“Just that he hopes we have fun today. I was telling him we’d be hanging out before you got here this morning.” Steven answered, not meeting Connie’s eyes. Could that really be it? 

“I didn’t realize you guys talked that much. I mean, you’re friends with everyone, but you’ve been hanging out with Peedee a lot lately.” More than usual, her mind supplied. She wasn’t accusing Steven of anything, she was trying to put together the pieces and figure out what she was missing. 

“He’s usually working. I’ve just gotten lucky lately about not being busy when he’s actually free, and so we’ve gotten to see each other more.” he reasoned. “The more time we spend together the more I want to, you know? It’s like how we can’t stand not seeing each other.”

Now he couldn’t stand not seeing Peedee? She felt a smirk envelope her face. “Do you have a crush on Peedee?”

That gave him pause. “How could you tell?” he gasps. Connie laughed. Now it made sense. 

“Steven, we’re best friends. I know when something is up. So…” she motioned for him to tell her just what, in fact, was up. He bit his lip, hesitating momentarily before launching right in. 

“When I was upset with my dad and the gems I talked to Peedee and he helped me feel better and since then we’ve been hanging out, and it’s been great! I mean, I already knew he was great, but I don’t know. He’s really… sweet. And, he’s so funny, and he has pretty eyes and his lips are soft even though they’re chapped and-”

Connie squeaked. “You kissed him?”

Steven blushed bright red, but he had a dumb smile on his face. “Yeah, a few days ago.”

Connie felt her heart swell with emotion. She was so happy for Steven. She wished she’d known beforehand that he liked Peedee, she’d had no idea. At least now she knew why Steven had been so giddy.  
“I think I have to quit school. I miss too much while I’m busy studying, obviously.”

“Don’t be ridiculous, you wouldn’t have to completely stop going. Just stop taking all your advanced classes.” Steven clapped in excitement as he apparently had a better idea. “Oh! Or- you could be homeschooled, like me!”

Connie didn’t doubt Pearl would be thrilled to teach her, too, but she didn’t think she’d be able to concentrate on World History if Steven was her classmate. 

“I’ll think about it,” she laughed. “Do you want to stop by the fry shop?”

Steven bit his lip in thought for just a second before shaking his head. “Maybe later. I haven’t seen you in forever, you know? But,” he amended. “Maybe when he’s off work we can all do something together.”  
Connie finished her drink and stood up, stretching, before she replied. “That sounds good. Now come on, let’s head back. I wanted to show you that new book I got.” 

If it were possible, Connie would say she saw Steven’s eyes light up even more at the word ‘book’. Reading together was one of their absolute favorite ways to spend time with each other. Connie remembered the look of awe that had been on Steven’s face when she took the job as librarian’s assistant last summer. It had only been for the summer, but the days spent pouring over dusty novels in the library air conditioning had been amazing, and Connie was eager to go work there again when school was out once more. 

“The one about space? I can’t wait! Let’s go,” he exclaimed, grabbing for Connie’s hand to pull her along. She let herself be pulled into Steven’s whirlwind of movement, and the two set out for the Temple.

**Author's Note:**

> It's a silly, personal headcanon of mine that after Sadie and Lars quit The Big Donut that Dewey starts working there (since he's no longer mayor and all.) That doesn't feature in this story but, like, it needed to be put out there. So even though no employees are mentioned in this fic, just be knowing. Bill Dewey is there. Watching. 
> 
> Anyway, I swear Greg and Steven will get along by the time this series is over. Also, remember that comments are my lifeblood. Every comment fuels me to desecrate canon more often. It's what Rebecca Sugar would want.


End file.
